Safety device for lap-machines and the like.



J. J. OMEARA. SAFETY DEVICE FOR LAP MACHINES AND'THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912. 1,090,335. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. J. OMEARA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR LAP MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912.

7 Mina/Jar 617W 5, 97mm Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

swzafz rsmm J. J. OMEARA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR LAP MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912.

1,090,335. Patented Mar.17,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

QB .12 170 J2" 91 9 fidornyr human STATESEATENT orricn JAMES J. OMEARA,OF FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-SEVENTH TO WILLIAM E. KEACH AND ONE-SEVENTH TO ROBERT A.SPROWSON, BOTH OE EITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS,

ONE-SEVENTH T0 EDWARD W. ATKINSON, 0E

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ONE-SEVENTH TO ANDREW W. BELL, ONE-SEVENTH TOJOSEPH D. BELL, AND ONE-SEVENTH TO WILLIAM A. BELL, ALL OF HOLYOKE,

MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

Application filed November 21, 1912. Serial No. 732,632.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES J. OMEARA, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fitchburg, in the county ofiVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulSafety Device for Lap-Machines and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a safety device for use on doubler-s or sliverlaps, also on derby doublers, ribbon laps, and all machines for the samegeneral purpose. In machines of this character a lap or sliver is woundon a lap roll which is supported and rotated by a pair of rotary drumsbelow.

It has been found in practice that, particularly when the material iscommencing to be wound on the roll, it is apt to have a roughappearance. Although it does not need guidance by the hand of theoperator, yet it is common for operators to attempt to smooth out thesliver or lap and in doing so they are liable to get their lingerscaught between the heavy rolls. Many accidents of this kind haveoccurred, and it is the principal object of this invention to providepracticable and efficient means for preventing the occurrence of suchaccidents.

The invention also involves a shield movably mounted on the mechanismwhich receives the lap roll and capable of movement independentlythereof; means for positively locking the shield in such position as topre vent access on the part of the operator to the material on the roll;and means for an tomatically unlocking the shield when the lap roll ismoved up so that the lap thereon is out of engagement with the drums.

The invention also involves various improvements in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts relating to these features, aswill appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is an end elevation of a sliver lap machine of well-known constructionshowing how a preferred embodiment of this in vention can be appliedthereto and showing the parts in the position assumed when the lap rollis full and the shield is elevated to give access thereto; Fig. 2 is asimilar view of a portion of the same machine showing the parts inlocked operative position; Fig. 3 1s a front View of the same with theparts in the position shown in Fig. 2; Fig. i is a plan of the same;Fig. 5 is a plan on enlarged scale of a portion of the locking devicefor the shield; Fig. (5 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 7 is an endelevation of the belt shifter and connected parts; Fig. 8 is a rearelevation of the same; and Fig. 9 is a side view on enlarged scale ofthe controlling device for the parts shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The invention is shown as applied to a sliver lap machine which, as iswell known in this art, comprises a frame 10, and a pair of fluted drums11. These drums are positively driven by mechanism, not shown herein,but well understood in this art. This mechanism is located on the end ofthe machine on the side opposite that shown in Fig. l and controlled bya tight pulley 12. The loose pulley 12 is also shown. Located at thebottom of the frame is a shaft 13 having a hand wheel 14 thereon foroperating it and provided with two pinions 15 meshing with verticallyslidable racks 16. On this shaft also is a pulley 17. Pivotcd on a fixedprojection 18 extending down from the frame a countcrweighted trcadle 19which carries a friction plate 20 adapted to engage the pulley 17 andprevent rotation of the shaft 13 and descent of the racks 16. The racksextend upwardly above the fluted drums 11 and each one is provided witha support 22 located beyond the ends of the two drums and above themwhich carries a metal roll 23 on the top thereof: journalcd therein.These two rolls rest on a pair of hubs 24, each one of which is providedwith a lap plate 25. These hubs are hollow and through them passes ashaft 26 having a worm 27 on one end and an operating hand wheel 28 onthe other. The hub 24 on one end has a thread which the worm 27 fits, sothat the hand wheel can be operated to turn this worm out of the thread,and then the shaft can be withdrawn. Then the shaft is in place it issupported by av lap roll 29 through which the shaft 26 passes. The lapor sliver is wound on the lap roll as usual, being guided thereto from apair of calender 65 the knock-offs about their rolls 30. It will beobvious that, as the drawings are directed to this roll 29 underneaththe same and over the drum 11 and the drums are rotated in the directionindicated by the arrows, the roll 29 will rotate and draw the sliver orlap around it, winding it up thereon. It is obvious also that thegradual increase in the amount of material on this roll 29 will cause itto rise, as the roll is supported on the drums. The racks 16 hang onthis roll from the rolls 28 and all these parts together put a certainamount of pressure on it to keep the material on it firmly in contactwith the drums.

As so far described the machine is Well understood in the art. I willnow proceed to describe the safety device which constitutes thisinvention. On the brackets 22 are placed extensions 31, each of which isprovided with an inclined member 32 extending up about to'the top of thelap plates 25. The extensions 31 extend upwardly substantially in avertical direction and they support a transverse shaft or rod 33. Onthis rod is pivotally mounted a shield 34 which is of arcuate shape tofit the edges of the two lap plates and preferably is formed of sheetsteel or other suitable material. It is shown as provided with someperforations 35 by which the operator can see if anything goes wrong inthe operation of the device, but too small to permit the getting offingers in between the rolls. This shield is provided with verticalnotches 36 on each side, and the brackets 31 are provided withhorizontal pivots 38 on which locking pins 39 are pivoted. The lockingpins are adapted to lie in horizontal position so as to extend into thenotches 36 in the shield. Pivotally mounted on studs 40 on the shieldare two knock-off members 41 each having a surface at 42 adapted toengage under a locking pin 39 and normally resting on the shaft 33.These knock-off members are provided with a passage therethrough throughwhich extends a wire 43*connected with the end of a flexible member orchain 44. This also extends into an elongated slot in the shield. Theother end of this chain 44 is fixed to a stationary part of the frame ofthe machine.

The operation of the parts so far described is very simple. With theparts in the position shown in Fig. 2 the chain 44 is slack and has noeffect. The pins 39 are over in the slots 36 and positively prevent theswing ing of the shield on the pivot rod 33. YVhen the cotton or othermaterial is wound up on the lap roll until it is filled, the lap rollwill finally assume the position indicated on Fig. 1, being held up bythe fluted drums. The chains 44 come to a taut position before the laproll is filled, and a further rise of the lap roll causes the tautchains to pull down on the ends of the knock-offs 41, and swing pivotsso that the stop 60. It will engaged the stop 60 as shown in Fig. 8, the

they raise the pins 39 from the position shown in Figs. 8, 5, and 6 tothe position shown in Fig. 1, releasing the shield. A slight furtherrise in the parts causes the hooks 43 to reach the lower end of theslots 45 and swing the shield up automatically so that the hand wheel 28can be turned, its shaft withdrawn, and the lap roll drawn out on thelap cradle 49. If the operator desires he canat any time step on thetreadle to release the friction plate 20 from the pulley 17 and turn thehand wheel 14 to raise the lap roll and connected parts until the shieldis unlocked V and raised.

The invention also involves the provision of means for preventing thestarting of the machine when the shield is not in position to cover theroll. F or this purpose the usual belt shifter 50, shipper handle 51,and ship I per rod 52 are employed for moving the beltfrom the tightpulley 12 tothe loose pulley 12 and vice versa. On the shipper rod 52 isan arm 55 which is shown as connected with a link 56 that can beoperated in a way common to machines of this kind. The connections withthis arm, therefore, are not illustrated. Connected with the arm 55 is arod 57 which is normally pressed by a spring 58 connected with astationary part 59 of the frame, against the arm 55, to keep the belt onthe loose pulley. The shipper handle can be used in connection with anyusual mechanism to keep it in its extreme positions, but of course isaranged for ready manipulation. The rod 57 is provided with a stop 60adapted to be engaged by a dog 61 fixed on a shaft 62. This shaft isprovided with a handle (33 for turning it to move the dog 61 into andout of position for engaging be obvious that when rod 57, arm 55, andbelt shifter 50 cannot be moved to bring the belt over on the tightpulley. Consequently the parts are locked and the machine cannot bestarted. On one of the vertically sliding racks 16 is a member 64 inposition to engage an arm 65 on the shaft 62 when the rack 16 is in itsuppermost position. This prevents the shaft 62 from being turned in thedirection to dislodge the dog 61 from the stop 60. When, however, therack descends to its lowermost position a chain 66 connected with therack and extending part way around the hub on which the arm 65 islocated, will turn this hub and arm, and consequently the shaft, andrelease the rod 57 without the attention of the operator. A stop 67 isshown for engaging the frame at this time, and preventing too great arevolution of the shaft 62.

From what has been said it will be seen that whenever the shield is up,which occurs only when the racks are raised to their highest position,the operator cannot start the machine, so that while the parts are inposition for the removal of the old roll and the insertion of a new one,there is no possibility of the machine being started. When the parts getdown to the position in which it is necessary to start the machine thelever shaft 62- is operated automatically, leaving only the ordinaryshipper lever 51 for the operator to manipulate. During all this timethe shield is locked down and it continues to be locked until the rollis completed. In this way the operator is protected from the accidentswhich have been described and yet the operation of the machine is notcomplicated.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention, and shown it as applied only to one type of ma.- chine, I amaware of the fact that the invention can. be carried out in many otherforms and applied to all machines of this general type without departingfrom the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore Ido not wish to be limited in these respects, but

What I do claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, thecombination with a frame, a pair of rotary supporting drums thereonadapted to carry a lap roll between them and a lap roll shaft, of a pairof brackets connected with the lap roll shaft to move up and downtherewith, a shield pivotal ly supported by said brackets extendingforwardly therefrom and adapted to swing up and down on its axis, meanscarried by said brackets for engaging said shield and locking it withrespect to its pivot, and means connected with. said frame for movingthe locking means to inoperative position when the brackets rise beyonda certain limit.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrotary drums, a lap roll carried between them, a shaft above said laproll, a shield carried by said shaft and adapted to swing up and downthereon, a locking device, the shield having a notch for receiving thelocking device, and means for automatically moving said locking deviceout of the notch when the lap roll is elevated to a predeterminedheight.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a laproll, a shield carried with the lap roll, and having a notch, a lockingdevice mounted to move into said notch, a knock-olf having a sl'irfaeefor engaging said locking device and lifting it out of said notch whenthe knock-off moves, and a flexible member connected with a stationarypart of the machine and with said knock-off for moving it when theknock-off moves to a predetermined point.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrotary supporting drums adapted to carry a lap roll between them, and alap roll shaft, of a pair of brackets supported by the lap roll shaft tomove up and down therewith, a shield pivotally carried by said bracketsextending forwardly from its pivot, and means carried by said bracketsfor locking said shield down with respect to its pivots.

In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrotary supporting drums, a lap roll adapted to be carried between them,a pair of brackets mounted to move up aml down with the lap roll, ashaft siupporlcd by said brackets, a shield carried by said shaft andadapted to swing up and down thereon, and means for locking said shieldin its lowermost position, said means comprising a locking pin pivotedto swing on a horizontal axis, the shield having a notch for receivingthe pin.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combinatimi of a pair ofrotary drums, a lap roll carried between them, a shaft above said laproll, a shield carried by said shaft and adapted to swing up and downthereon, a locking pin pivoted to swing on a horizontal axis, the shieldhaving a notch for receiving the pin, and means for aiuzomaticallylifting said pin when the lap roll. is elevated to a l'n'odeterininedheight.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combimitirui of a laproll, a shaft movable with said lap roll, a shield carried by said shaftand having a notch, a locking pin 'voted to swing on a horizontal axisinto and out of said notch, means for elevating the lap roll, a pivotedmember, and means for operating said pivoted member to cause it toengage said pin and lift it out of the notch when the lap roll iselevated.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a laproll, a shield carried with the lap roll, and having a vertical notch atthe top thereof, a locle ing pin pivoted to swing on a horizontal axisinto said notch, a pivoted knock-oil having a surface for engaging saidpin and lifting it out of said notch when the knockoff is swung on itspivot, and a flexible member connected with a stationary part of themachine and with said knock-elf for swinging it when the knock-oil risesto a predetermined point.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a laproll, a locking pin pivoted to swing on a horizontal axis, a movableshield having a notch for receiving the pin, a knock-elf pivoted on saidshield and having a surface for engaging said pin and lifting it out ofsaid notch when the knock-oil is swung on its pivot, and a flexiblemember connected with a stationary part of the machine and with saidknock-off for swinging it when the knock-oil rises to a, predeterminedpoint, said shield having an elongated slot for receiving the end ofsaid flexible connection, whereby after the knockoff is operated, thecon tinued upward motion of the lap roll will cause said flexibleconnection to engage the end of said slot and swing the shield on itspivot in the same direction.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pairof rotary drums, a lap roll carried between them, a pivoted locking pin,a pivoted shield having a notch for receiving the pin, a pivotedknock-off having a surface for engaging said pin and lifting it out ofsaid. notch when the knock-off is swung on its pivot, and aexible memberconnected with a stationary part of the machine and with said knock-offfor swinging it when the knockoff rises to a predetermined point, saidshield having an elongated slot for receiving the end of said flexibleconnection, the point at which the flexible connection en gages theknock-off and shield being on the side of the pivot thereof opposite themain body of the shield.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of amovable frame having a shaft thereon, a shield pivoted on said shaft andextending from one side thereof and also having a projection on theopposite side of the shaft, a pivoted knockoff on said opposite side ofthe shaft, a lockingpin, means whereby when the knock-01f is rotated onits pivot it will move the pin out of the notch, and means whereby whenthe frame moves beyond a certain point the knock-off will be swung onits pivot to re lease the pin and thereafter cause the shield to beswung on its pivot.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of avertically movable frame having a horizontal shaft thereon, a shieldpivoted on said shaft and extending from one side thereof and alsohaving a projection on the opposite side of the shaft, a knock-offpivoted to said shield on said opposite side of the shaft, and a lookingpin, said knock-off having a surface normally engaging said locking pin,whereby w ran the knock-off is rotated on its pivot it will raise thepin out of the notch, whereby when the frame rises beyond a certainpoint the knock-off will be swung on its pivot to release the pin andthereafter cause the shield to be swung on its pivot.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of avertically movable frame, a shield pivoted on said frame and extendingfrom one side thereof and also having a. projection on the oppositeside, a knock-off pivoted to said shield on said opposite side of theframe, said shield having a notch at the top thereof, a locking pinpivoted at a point adjacent to said notch and adapted to engage in thenotch to prevent rotation of the shield about its pivot, said knockoffhaving a surface normally engaging said locking pin, whereby when theknocleofl" is rotated on its pivot it will raise the pin out of thenotch, said shield also having an elongated slot, and a flexible memberpivotally secured to said knock-off, extending into said elongated slot,and hav ing its other end fixed to a stationary part of the machine,whereby when the frame rises beyond a certain point the flexible memberwill cause the knoclr-ofl to be swung on its pivot to release the pinfrom the notch and thereafter cause the shield to be swung on its pivot.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of amovable frame, a shield pivoted on said frame, a knocleofl pivoted tosaid shield, a locking device to prevent rotation of the shield aboutits pivot, means whereby when the knock-0H is rotated on its pivot itwill disconnect the locking device, said shield also having an elongatedslot, and a flexible member secured to said knock off, extending intosaid elongated slot, and having its other end fixed to a stationary partof the machine, whereby when the frame moves beyond a certain point theflexible member will cause the knock-off to be swung on its pivot tocause the shield to be swung on its pivot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. GMEARA. Witnesses Bonner A. SrRowsoN, VVILLIAM E. KEAoH.

the tommiseioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

